Carton



'A, L. ASTE June 18, 1940.

CARTON Filed Jan. 10, 1939 I ATTORNEYS STATE TON 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in cartons, particularly individual bottle cartons.

Various types of liquids, such as shoe'cleaning and polishing fluids are sold in bottles which in 5 turn are packed in individual cartons made of cardboard, pressed paper, or the like. When it is desired to use the liquid the bottle is removed from the carton, the cap or cork is removed from the bottle and the bottle is placed on a table or some other convenient place. It frequently heppens when the cap or cork is thus removed from the bottle that the bottle is upset due to the lack of a firm support or foundation for the bottle.

It-is a prime object of this invention to overcome the difiiculties heretofore encountered as outlined above and to provide an improved carton which not only serves as a casing for the bottle but which may also be used as a support, stand, or foundation for the bottle when the bottle is removed from the carton.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a carton having a perforated, scored, or weakened line on one side thereof so as to provide a hinged flap adapted to be folded inwardly to provide a cutout ,portlon through which the lower end of the bottle may be inserted and the fiap being adapted to close the cutout portion when the bottle is placed inside the carton.

For a fuller understanding of theinvention reference should be had to the accompanying drawing in which- I Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a carton embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the carton with the perforated or scored lines broken through so as to provide a cutout portion adapted to receive the lower end of the bottle and with the flap folded inwardly;

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the lower end of a bottle inserted through the cutout portion; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

With the exception of the perforated, scored, or cutout portion as hereinafter described my improved carton indicated at ill may be of conventional construction. Thus it may be made of cardboard, pressed paper, fiber, or any other suitable material and may be formed from a unitary blank or from any number of separate pieces as desired. It is preferably provided with front and rear sides or faces ii and with con- 'necting sides II. The two ends of the carton are preferably provided with closure flaps it each having a tab it adapted to be projected inside the carton'when the flaps are closed, as shown Application January 10, 1939, Serial No. 250,124

most clearly in Fig. 4. The carton is adapted'to receive a bottle it and it will be appreciated that the size and shape or the'bottle and carton are such that the bottle may be conveniently packed inside the carton so that both end clo- E sures may be closed.

The bottle and carton as heretofore described are of conventional construction and it will be appreciated that they may be varied as to size;

shape, design, and construction. 80 that the re carton maybe used as a support or stand for the bottle when the bottle is removed from the carton I provide one of the sides It with a scored or perforated line it which is preferably formed so as to outline a flap it of substantially the shape and 15 size 01' the lower end of the bottle. However, the line it does not completely encircle the flap or tab thereby providing a hinge portion ii connecting directly with the side of the carton. In the present instance the lower end of the bottleis octagonal inshape. and it will be seen that the perforated or scored line is formed to extend around seven of the sides of the bottle. In this way a flap or tab it which is substantially a pat-, tern of the bottom of the bottle is outlined by the perforated or scored line. In using my improved carton the bottle is first removed from the carton and the perforated or scored line it is cut or severed or is broken through as by pressing the flap i8 inwardly. This may be accomplished merely by placing the lower end of the bottle on top of the flap and pressing it downwardly. Since the line it is perforated or scored it will readily break with the result that flap it folds inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of the bottle it may then be inserted through the cutout portion. it which is thus provided with the bottom of the bottle resting on the opposite side of the carton as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. When the lower end of the bottle is thus inserted through the cutout portion it will be seen that the carton serves as a firm support or stand for the bottle and the bottle cannot readily be tipped over or upset. When the bottle is no longer in use it may be removed from the cutout portion andv placed inside the carton.v In this connection I wish to point out that the hinge I1 is preferably formed at the upper end of the flap so that when the bottle is inserted through the top of the carton it will engage the flap folding it downwardly and outwardly so that it extends across the cutout portion formed in the side of the carton. In this way it will be appreciated that even though I have provided a cutout portion to u 2 receive the lower end of the bottle the appearance of the carton is in no way aifeeted when the bottle is replaced in the carton due to the fact that the flap extends across the cutout portion. Thus the side of the carton formed with the cutout portion may have a unitary design and appearance.

The bottle l5 may beused as a package or container for many different types of liquids such as shoe polish or cleaning fluid. In this way the combined bottle and carton form a very satisfactory type of commercial package. The carton is not only useful for display and shipping purposes but also as a stand or support for the bottles.

From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of my invention it will be appreciated that I have provided an improved individual bottle carton having a-cutout portion formed in one side thereof and a ilap adapted to normally extend across the cutout portion but which may be folded inwardly so as to permit the insertion of the lower end -of a bottle. It should of course be understood that modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodiment of my invention without departing from the invention as set forth in the accompanying claim.

I claim:

A commercial package comprising a bottle of irregular cross-sectional shape with one t'ransverse axis being of greater length than the other,

and a carton formed of material similar to cardboard adapted normally to encase the bottle, said carton being formed with connected side panels of greater length than width and with end 'panels, at least one of which is adapted to open,

one of the side panels being formed with a weakened line intermediate and spaced from the ends, the area defined by the weakened line being foldable to provide a cutout of substantially the same size and shape as the cross sectional size and shape of the lower end of the bottle with the dimension of greatest length extending substantially transversely ofthe side panel, at least' a portion of the area defined by the weakened line being connected to the side panel by a hinge 

